PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ian Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tajhon Blahs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ian Phillips has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Phillips
vs
Blahs

180 cm
21
160 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

170 cm
24
169 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ian Phillips!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tajhon Blahs!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blahs moves in looking to clinch but Phillips pushes him off.

Phillips closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Phillips trying to control the action but Blahs is working from the bottom.

Blahs is defending against the submission attempts here by Phillips.
Phillips prevents Blahs from improving his position.
Phillips missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Phillips not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Phillips wants to pass to mount but Blahs is defending the position.

Phillips is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Phillips throws an overhand right that lands on Blahs's shoulder, as Blahs tries to avoid the shot.
Phillips throws a series of punches but Blahs moves out of range.
Blahs dodges the punch combination from Phillips.
Phillips avoids the head kick by Blahs.
Blahs moves out of range of the strikes.
Phillips uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Blahs misses with an attempted mid kick.
Phillips moves forwards but Blahs connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Blahs misses with a combination
and Phillips counters with a nice uppercut.
Blahs throws a hook to the side of Phillips's head but Phillips sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Blahs throws a solid leg kick but Phillips takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Blahs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips slips a straight right by Blahs.
Blahs throws a jab when Phillips was well out of range.
Phillips scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Phillips rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Blahs moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Blahs misses with a straight left.
Phillips with a jab.
Phillips fails to land with a series of punches.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Blahs lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Phillips has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Phillips and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Blahs uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Phillips.

Blahs scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Blahs trying to control the pace.
Phillips trying to hold on to Blahs's head to control him but Blahs postures up.
Phillips is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Blahs there.

Phillips looking for submissions off his back.
Blahs controlling the action here.
Phillips wants to improve his position but Blahs is controlling well.
Phillips trying to control here.
Blahs keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Phillips tries to get to full guard but Blahs has control of the leg.
Phillips trying to hold on to Blahs's head to control him but Blahs postures up.
Phillips is looking for a sweep. Blahs is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Blahs scores with a jab.
Phillips shoots in but Blahs avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Blahs wants to clinch
and Phillips counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Blahs misses with a takedown attempt
and Phillips counters with a straight right hand.
Blahs swings for the body but Phillips moves out of range.
Phillips walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

It looks like Ian Phillips has been cut.
Blahs swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Phillips is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Blahs avoids a punch combination nicely.
Blahs misses with a straight left.
Phillips connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Blahs throws out a loose jab but Phillips uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tajhon Blahs will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ian Phillips's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Blahs looks to clinch
and Phillips cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tajhon Blahs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phillips uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Blahs.
Blahs with a lazy takedown attempt
and Blahs takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Phillips looks to land a right hand but Blahs moved out of range.
Blahs throws a low kick but Phillips avoids it.

Phillips shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Blahs keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Phillips misses with a head shot. Blahs uses the momentum to regain guard.
Phillips is stalling in the full guard.
Phillips postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips looking to pass the guard.
Blahs is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Blahs pulls Phillips in close to his closed guard and prevents Phillips from doing any damage or advancing position.
Blahs working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Phillips.
Phillips in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Phillips rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Blahs moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A jab from Phillips misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Phillips ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Blahs falls off balance throwing a combination

and Phillips counters with a shoot takedown. Blahs fights it but they end up in guard.
Blahs has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Phillips postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Phillips trying to control the position from guard on top but Blahs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Phillips stopping the sweep attempt from Blahs.
Phillips trying to control the position from guard on top but Blahs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips is really struggling to control Blahs but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Phillips is looking to work some ground and pound but Blahs has wrist control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Phillips swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Phillips defending well as Blahs loads up on a big left hand.
Blahs throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Phillips throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Blahs's waist but Blahs gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Phillips off to one side.
Phillips throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Blahs displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Phillips throws out the jab.
Blahs on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Phillips throws a series of strikes that have Blahs backpedaling.
A shot to the body from Blahs misses

and Phillips counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Phillips thows a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blahs is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Phillips drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Blahs dives on top into guard.
Phillips tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Phillips looking for a guillotine here but Blahs defends easily.
Phillips manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Phillips can't control as he wanted to and Blahs manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Blahs is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Phillips dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ian Phillips's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Blahs tries to clinch but Phillips moves away

and Phillips counters with a takedown into side control.
Phillips advances to mount.
Phillips trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Phillips has control of Blahs's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Blahs regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Blahs avoids a strike by Phillips and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Phillips's guard! Fantastic escape!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blahs slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Phillips isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Blahs stacks Phillips on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Blahs!
Phillips is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Phillips looking for submissions off his back.
Phillips has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Blahs is working away from the top position though.
Phillips tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Blahs looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Phillips tries to get to full guard but Blahs has control of the leg.
Blahs performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Blahs prevents Phillips from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Blahs sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Phillips actively working from the bottom here.
Blahs looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Blahs seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Phillips does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Phillips tries to get to full guard but Blahs has control of the leg.
Blahs lands with a punch from half guard.
Phillips wants to get back to full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Phillips throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blahs misses the shot to the body.
A slow jab from Blahs misses its intended target.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Phillips.
Ian Phillips overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Phillips trying to control the action but Blahs is working from the bottom.
Blahs tries to improve position but can't.
Phillips has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Phillips is trying to get an arm triangle but Blahs is defending well.
Phillips in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Phillips throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Phillips swings around for an armbar but Blahs sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Phillips's guard.
Phillips thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Blahs keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Blahs uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Phillips.
Blahs waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Phillips.
Blahs misses with a straight left.
Blahs moves out of range as Phillips strikes.
Blahs misses with a takedown

and Phillips counters with a takedown into side control.
Tajhon Blahs has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Blahs takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Phillips trying to control the position but Blahs is working away.

Phillips goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Blahs rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Phillips's guard! Nice work there by Blahs!

And that's the end of the fight!
Ian Phillips showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Phillips has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight for Ian Phillips!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Ian Phillips!
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight for Ian Phillips!

Ian Phillips wins by unanimous decision!